“I was watching this hunky guy kick butt, but then his sister texted.” She held up her phone, showing him a video from Bellamy of Wells, Fitz, and Keira horsing around and laughing on their boat. At the end of the video, Bellamy looked into the camera and said, “Hope you’re having fun, too!”
Grant felt an unfamiliar longing to be there with them. It had been so long since he’d felt that, he took a moment to revel in it. The paternity issue had been hanging over his head like a dark cloud. He wasn’t ready to deal with that yet, but he’d spent so many years avoiding the issues with his parents and letting them eat away at him and drive them farther apart, he didn’t want to lose the progress they’d made on Monday. Jules had helped him see the benefits of open communication, and he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable around his family, either, now or in the future. He had to start somewhere, and maybe if he made the effort, he could figure out what to do about that dark cloud before it became a full-on storm.
“You okay?” Jules asked. “Did you get hurt when you wrestled?”
He kissed her temple. “No. I’m fine. But how would you feel about taking off so we can help my family for a little while?”
“I think that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”
“Let me tell the guys we’re leaving.” Grant headed for Roddy and Brant, who were talking by the oak tree on the lawn. He hadn’t had a chance to speak with Roddy privately since he’d seen his parents, and now was as good a time as any. “Hey, Roddy, can I talk with you for a sec?”
“Sure, son.” Roddy said something to Brant, and then he walked over to Grant. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I had a long talk with my old man on Monday and learned some interesting facts.”
“I heard something about that. I’m glad you’re all working on making things better.”
“Then you know my father told me that he was the one who sent you after me all those years ago and put up the safety railings on the bungalow.”
“And filled the fridge, stocked the shelves, and a few other things,” Roddy said. “He wanted to do the landscaping and clean the place up, but I told him there was no way you’d buy the idea that I did all that. I hope you’re not mad at me for keeping his secrets.”
“No. Just the opposite,” Grant said. “He’s right. If I had known he’d done those things, it probably would have pissed me off.”
“You’re father’s a wise man.”
“Yeah, I’m learning just how wise. Thank you for having his back, and in turn, having mine.”
“Always and forever, son.” He nodded in Jules’s direction. “Is this serious between you two?”
“Yeah, it definitely is.”
Roddy arched a brow. “Does this mean you’re staying on the island?”
“When I make that decision, you’ll be one of the first to know.” Grant walked away with an extra swagger in his step.
Chapter Twenty-Three
SILVER HARBOR WAS ritzier than Rock Harbor, and the marina was mostly filled with high-end yachts, like Grant’s parents’ yacht. Grant held Jules’s hand as they headed down to the docks.
Jules leaned closer and said, “Are you nervous?”
“No, why?” He’d noticed that ever since he’d told her about his hearing loss, she was careful to take his right hand, sit by his right side, and sleep on his right, too. Or rather, she started out that way. She usually slept draped over his body, which he loved a hell of a lot more than he ever thought he would, considering he’d slept alone all his life.
“Because you’re holding my hand really tight.”
“Shit. Sorry, babe.” He let go of her hand and put his arm around her, pulling her into a kiss as they stepped onto the dock. “I guess I am a little nervous. But I’ll get over it.”
“I’d offer to sneak into the boathouse with you and relieve some of that tension, but your family just spotted us.”
Grant followed her gaze to his family standing among the Nutcracker decorations on the bow of the yacht, waving. His muscles tensed, and he waved back, hoping for the best.
“You’ve got this,” Jules said softly as she waved.
“Are you here to spy on the competition?” Keira yelled down at them.
“Actually.” Grant met his father’s curious gaze. “We came to help out.” His parents exchanged an emotional glance, causing a thickening in Grant’s throat. He motioned toward his brothers and said, “I figured you needed all the help you can get with these losers on your team.”
Everyone laughed as he and Jules ascended the ramp. His father’s eyes never left his, and when they reached the deck, he said, “I’m glad you’re here, son,” and pulled him into an embrace.
It wasn’t uncomfortable, but heavy with the weight of understanding that his father stepped past his discomfort to show Grant how much it meant to him that he’d come.
“Me too,” Grant said as his mother hugged Jules.
His father smiled at Jules. “I’m glad you’re both here. It’s nice to see you, Jules.”
“Thanks! You too,” Jules said.
Bellamy ran over and hugged her. “Me three! This will be so fun!”
“You’re just in time,” his mother said, embracing him with her face to the right of his, so he’d be sure to hear her. “We were talking about Thanksgiving. Have you and Jules made any decisions about the holiday?”
“Jules?” He took her hand. Knowing how important family was to her made his own family even more important to him.
“I just want to be with you.” She leaned closer, whispering, “We could see one family for dinner and the other for dessert.”
She always knew the right thing to do. He met his parents’ gazes and said, “We’d love to join you for dinner, but we’ll have dessert with the Steeles if that works for you.”
“Yay!” Bellamy hugged him.
“Not the drumstick hog,” Wells teased.
Keira crossed her arms, smirking. “He’s an even bigger stuffing hog.”
Fitz coughed to cover up his words as he said, “At least the pumpkin pie is safe.”
“Kids,” their mother chided. She leaned against her husband’s side, watching them as they volleyed playful barbs, and said, “Some things never change.”
Grant pulled Jules into his arms, catching his father’s appreciative gaze as he said, “And, thankfully, some things do.”
They had a fantastic afternoon, decorating and joking around with his family. Grant decided it was time to come clean to his siblings about his hearing loss, which made Bellamy sad. Keira found it a relief, because apparently there had been a few times she’d seen him and he hadn’t responded to things she’d said, which made Grant wonder how many times that might have happened with other people. Fitz and Wells were appropriately bummed for him, but Wells took every opportunity to turn it into a joke, like moving his mouth and not making sounds so Grant would think he was missing out on hearing something and sneaking up behind his left side and startling him. Grant laughed along with the rest of them, relieved that no one was walking on eggshells. But he also found himself searching for signs that he looked and acted like his siblings and father. He quickly realized he could find similarities as quickly as differences, and none of those things would give him the answers or the peace he sought.